The Battle of Rullion Green

Image by Billy McCrorie - Wikipedia

Posted at This Day in Presbyterian History:

The Time Was Not Ripe

This mysterious phrase is found on a stone memorial on the grounds of the Battle of Rullion Green which is located eight miles south of Edinburgh, Scotland. It tells the tragic story of defeat in the first battle of the Scot Covenanters—Presbyterians all—against the English government of Charles II.

This battle was part of the Killing Times era of Scottish Covenanters. In essence, the Anglican government had declared war against the Presbyterians of Scotland, asking for unconditional surrender on their part. Their pastors—some 400 of them—had been ejected from their pulpits, their manses, and their parishes. When some of them began to preach to their people in the fields and moors, that whole scene became a dangerous practice, with fines leveled against the attenders, and imprisonment and death as well. All that was needed was a spark to ignite the smoldering indignation of the Scottish people of God.

That spark occurred on November 13, 1666 when an old man by the name of John Grier was accosted by the soldiers of the English government. Unable to pay a fine for his absence from his church with its Anglican curate in the pulpit, he was beaten severely that day. Four local Covenanters happened upon the scene, and tried first to reason with the soldiers. When that failed, words turned to actions, and one of the soldiers was shot. Other villagers joined in the fray and took the solders prisoners. At this point, the Covenanters numbered ninety people.

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Scottish Covenanters Index

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Cleave unto the Covenant and the Work of Reformation

"There is yet a holy seed, a root whom God will preserve, and bring forth; but how long and dark our night may be, I do not know; The Lord shorten it for the sake of his Chosen. In the meantime be you patient and immoveable, abounding in the work of the Lord, and in love one to another; beware of snares, which are strewed thick. Cleave unto the Covenant, and Work of Reformation; do not decline the Cross of Christ; Choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasure of sin for a season; and account the reproaches of the Lord greater riches than all the Treasures of Egypt" – James Guthrie (1612-1661) Link: https://youtu.be/L_bhi27Gb40

Jenny Geddes - The Day of Small Beginnings

Posted at This Day in Presbyterian History: Drawing from three separate quotations, we have in short compass the story of Jenny Geddes and her little wooden stool, which God used to bring about a revolution and a return to biblical truth. Two years ago, while walking about in Old St. Giles’ church in Edinburgh, with Dr. W. G. Blaikie, whose fame as author, scholar, and preacher, is known throughout the Presbyterian Church, he said, ― this is the first time I have been here in seventeen years. And yet this is the church in which Knox preached and Jennie Geddes worshipped. Here she threw the famous stool at the head of the Dean who was reading the liturgy, under orders from King Charles. The outburst of popular indignation, occasioned by this act, was the beginning of the great struggle for religious liberty in Scotland. Read more here... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ From Wikipedia: Since the early years of the 17th century, the Scottish Church had been established on the same E...

Covenanter Slaves

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